Oxford History: The High

120–122: Vacant (former National Westminster Bank)

This building was erected on the corner of Alfred Street in 1866–7 on the site of three old shops numbered 120, 121, and 122 High Street

Nos. 121–2 on the right were built as a bank, but No. 120 on the left (now part of the bank) was originally rebuilt as a music warehouse.

The group of buildings was designed by F. & H. Francis of London in the Gothic style and built by Messrs Jones. They are Grade II listed (List Entry No. 1047258). It was in the parish of All Saints until that church was deconsecrated in 1971.

There was formerly an alley known as High Street Passage between Nos. 121 and 122,
but this disappeared when Nos. 120–122 were rebuilt in 1867–8. The proprietors
of all three of these shops lived upstairs at the time of the 1851 census, with
an upholsterer, William Payne, apparently living and working behind No. 121.

Jackson’s
Oxford Journal of 19 October 1867 reports on the progress of the rebuilding
work. No. 120 on the left was built for Russell’s Music Warehouse (which
had already been on the site, having moved from 125 High Street in the early
1860s). Nos. 121–2 on the right were built for the London
& County Bank (the forerunner of the National Westminster, which was then
in much smaller premises at 16 High Street).

Former No. 120 before 1866

John Vincent (43), a bootmaker employing two men, lived here with his servant at the time of the 1851 census.

In 1861 William Payne, a carver and undertaker, lived here.

Former No. 121 before 1866

In 1851 the chemist & druggist Harry Hitchcock (36) lived here with his wife and two daughters and sister-in-law, plus a servant. In 1861 the tailor William Hayward lived here.

Former No. 122 before 1866

In 1851 the saddler William Blackwell (57) lived here with his wife and two daughters, while the upholsterer William Payne lived at 121½ with his family. Blackwell was still here in 1861.

The current building at 120, 121, and 122 (built in 1867)

No. 120 (to the west)

James
Russell & Co. occupied the shop premises at new No. 120 from the time it opened in 1867 until
1952. (The company then merged with Acott’s and joined their business on the other
side of Alfred Street at 124 High Street: Russell & Acott survived there
until 1999.)

In 1871 the upstairs was let to a labourer, Joseph Cripps, who lived there with his housekeeper.

At the time of the 1881 census Mary Ann Mills, the housekeeper
to the Inland Revenue Office (which then shared the building with James Acott)
lived over No. 120 with her daughter, the assistant housekeeper.

In 1911 the widow Emily Pearce (54), who was the caretaker, lived in four rooms over these premises with her two daughters.

Right: Russell's music shop at the present No. 120 can be seen to the left of the photograph, with the upstairs premises advertised as being to let

Nos. 121 and 122 (the original bank)

At the time of the 1871 census the banker Henry Rutherford Smith lived over the bank with his nine-year-old granddaughter and four servants.

In 1881 the manager
of the London & County Bank was Charles Richard Peake, and he lived over Nos. 121–2
with his wife and three children, a cook, housemaid, and lady’s maid, and the
bank messenger and his wife.

In 1901 Francis Davies, the bank’s manager,
lived over Nos. 121 & 122 with two servants.

In 1911 the manager of the London & County Bank was Walter Cockell (60), and he lived in eleven rooms over Nos. 121 & 122 (described as Bank House) with his wife and two children and their two servants. Also living in three rooms over 121 High Street was George Pearce (57), who was a messenger of the bank, and his wife and two children.

Since 1953

In about 1953 the National Westminster Bank took over the whole building.

In 2013 Lincoln College purchased 120–2 High Street from the Royal Bank of Scotland, and they leased back to the NatWest Bank the parts of the buildings which front on to the High Street .

The bank closed in 2017, and in 2018 Lincoln College submitted the following two (very similar) planning applications:

18/00666/FUL: “Alterations to buildings including provision of glazed shopfront to 120, and new entrance to Alfred Street frontage of 121-122, Provision of lift/flue housing to rear. Re-arrangement of ventilation and ducting to the rear. Change of use of ground floor, basement and mezzanine level from bank (A2) to restaurant (A3), and use of upper floors as four apartments (1 x 1-bed, 3 x 3-beds) (C3)”.

18/00667/FUL: “Alterations to building including provision of glazed shop front to 120, and new entrance to Alfred Street frontage or 121-122, provision of lift/flue housing to rear. Change of Use of ground floor, basement and mezzanine level from Bank (A2) to restaurant (A3), and use of upper floor as four apartments (1x2 bed, 3x3 bed) (C3)”

Occupiers of 120, 121,
& 122 High Street Darker background = former buildings on this site,
now demolished

Date

120 High Street

121 High Street

122 High Street

1839– 1853+

John VincentBoot & shoemaker

Harry
HitchcockChemist & druggist

121A: William PayneJunior upholsterer

Blackwell & Evans
later William BlackwellSaddler

1866

James RussellPianoforte saloon

W. HaywardTailor, hosier, & robemaker

Oxford Chronicle
Publishing Office

1869–1952

J.
Russell & Co.Piano & music warehouse

Inland
Revenue & Stamp Office

London
& County Banking Company Ltd.
renamed London County & Westminster Bank Ltd in 1910;
London County Westminster & Parr’s Bank Ltd in 1918;
and Westminster Bank Ltd in 1925